Learning the Grip!

Grip it… Grip it good!

Todays lesson is on the ever so exciting Snare Drum Stick Grip! So grab your sticks and lets begin!

If you were able to watch the previous video you learned all about the parts of the stick. If not, here is a picture and a quick crash course in:

Stick Anatomy 101!

Now that you’re in the know… and knowing is half the battle… Lets begin!

Lets start by finding the balancing point on the stick (defined as the point on the stick where it will bounce the most freely) This point is about 1/3rd of the way up from the butt end of the stick. The balancing point changes from stick to stick, so make sure you mess around for a little while trying to find the exact spot.

Now that you found the balancing point I want you to:

Place the balance point of the stick on the joint between the first two digits of your index finger.

Just like this:

This creates a point of contact with the pad of the thumb and the first finger. Sometimes this is referred to as a “fulcrum point.” You should be able to draw an invisible line through your thumb nail, through the stick, and through the joint on your other finger.

Once you’ve established this point of contact, wrap your other fingers around the stick. Though the front of your hand was our starting point, its important to remember that all the fingers will have the same amount of contact with the stick at the very beginning.

PAO Beginner Motto #1

CONSTANT CONTACT WITHOUT PRESSURE!

Now say that 5 times fast, spin around in a circle and give yourself a pat on the back

Boom! You’ve now learned one of the most important things in playing percussion! – but it’s much harder than it might seem once we start applying it. So always stayed focused on a good grip and keeping a nice diamond shape formation with your hand wrapped around the stick.

For more information on common mistakes with the grip, more information on the balance point, and a great video on grip, check out this video: